


When Things Get Weird

by AbnormalAlley



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:29:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25850605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbnormalAlley/pseuds/AbnormalAlley
Summary: So instead of working of the actual fic, I wrote a little side story and it was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it. This really has no bearing on the fic as a whole.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	When Things Get Weird

Edward yawned and stretched as he sat up in bed. He looked over to his brother’s bed to find it empty. That was far from abnormal. Alphonse had always been an early riser.  
He hoisted himself out of bed and strolled out into the common room of the small dorm.  
He glanced at Ali’s door to find it wide open, though the room looked empty. That was odd. 

“Ali?” He called her name and stepped into the room. It was completely empty aside from the minimal furnishing the room had come with. “Ali?!” He called her name a little more frantically. 

“Brother, what’s wrong?” Edward heard his brother’s voice call behind him. The elder brother froze. Why did his brother’s voice sound so young again?

Edward turned around to find the seven-foot tall suit of armor that his brother had been in for years. 

“Brother? Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” His younger brother asked him. 

Edward’s throat felt drier than the desert between Amestris and Xing, and he found he couldn’t respond. He stumbled backward as his vision began to spin. 

“Brother!” Alphonse cried his name as he caught the older brother before he collapsed to the floor.

After several minutes of Edward babbling on about a young woman who was a living Philosopher’s Stone, another side to the Gate, and so much more than Alphonse tried to grasp, the younger Elric was able to get his brother on the sofa and calm him down.  
Edward became eerily quiet for a long moment. It appeared he was trying to work something out in his mind.

“Al...what day is it?” He finally whispered out.

“Tuesday.” Al responded simply.

“No, what is the date?”

“The 15th.”

“The full date!” Ed barked out. 

Alphonse stared at him for a moment. Edward rarely talked to him in such a manner. 

“December 15th, 1915.” He finally answered. Alphonse watched his brother carefully. He took in the way his brother’s jaw tightened, his fists clenched, and the way his eyes widened as he seemed to both understand and become more confused. 

“Ed…” Alphonse spoke his brother’s name softly. “Who is Ali?” 

Edward took his time responding, and when he did, it wasn’t to answer his younger brother’s question.

“When were we last in Frondt?” Ed asked carefully.

“Frondt?” Alphonse questioned. “Ed, does this have to do with that girl?”  
Edward’s head snapped up to look at his brother, a strange look in his golden eyes. 

“What girl?” He asked urgently. This answer only seemed to worry Alphonse further. 

“The girl you found in the forest. You’ve been acting strange ever since.” Al answered.

“What happened to her? Where is she?!” Edward jumped up from the sofa, ready to go track the young woman down. 

“Brother, what has gotten into you?!” Alphonse yelled. “She’s gone! You said she ran away! What is it about this girl that has you acting so irrational?” 

“I just don’t understand.” Edward ignored his brother’s worries as he flopped back down on the sofa. “Did I go back in time? Did the events change? There’s no way I dreamed all of that.” Ed mumbled to himself as he hung his head in his hands. 

“Enough! I’ve left you alone about this for weeks, but now it’s time to tell me everything! Ever since you came back to the hotel that day you’ve been acting strange! And today I think you finally lost it!” Alphonse demanded answers from his brother. 

“I’m sorry, Alphonse.” The elder whispered. “I don’t know what’s going on...but something is very wrong.”

“Tell me, then.” Alphonse coaxed.

“You’ll think I’m crazy.” Ed tried to chuckle as he spoke. 

“I already do, so out with it.”

So Edward told his brother everything. How he remembered helping the young woman, her travelling with them, discovering her ties to the Philosopher’s stone, and even falling in love with her. 

“She even got your body back.” Edward added, softly. 

The suit of armor seemed to ponder all of the information being thrown at him before quickly standing up. 

“Then let’s go find her.” Alphonse said.

“What?” 

“We’ll get on the first train to Frondt and we’ll find her.” Alphonse stated.  
Relief washed over the elder brother. He’d just told a crazy story, and of course the person he could trust the most still had his back. “First, let’s tell the Colonel we need to check out a lead, then we’ll head to Frondt.”

Not long after the brothers arrived at Central HQ, Alphonse was whisked away by Sheska who had a stack of books she’d been holding for him. The younger brother at first hesitated, until Edward assured him he could handle the Colonel on his own. 

“Hey, boss!” Came Jean Havoc’s cheerful greeting. “On your way to see the Colonel?”

“Yeah.” Ed responded casually. “Gotta let him know we’re about to leave town for a bit.”

“You kids sure do travel a lot.” Havoc grinned as he fell in step next to Ed. “But the Colonel has been in a bit of a mood today. If I were you, I’d wait until after lunch. Ya know, let him get some food first. Maybe his mood will be better.” Havoc suggested. 

“I’m not afraid of the Colonel or his shit attitude.” Edward scoffed. He tried to play it casual, though it was hard not to remember how much the Colonel had helped them in his memories that involved Ali. 

As the pair walked passed another corridor, Edward vaguely noticed the sound of someone giving a frustrated lecture. 

“Bite me, prick!” Stopped Edward in his tracks. 

“Boss?” Havoc called Ed as he returned to the previous hallway. 

There she was. Dressed in clothing usually only worn by the wealthiest in Amestris. Despite her high class clothing, her demeanor was anything but.

“Stay out of it.” Havoc suddenly told him sternly as he grabbed Ed’s arm before he could approach the young woman arguing with another soldier. Ed threw him a confused and annoyed look. “She’s just arguing with her escort, I promise she isn’t in trouble.” Havoc chuckled and moved Ed along, much to his protest.

“Hold on a minute!” Ed protested, but Havoc ignored him.

“She’s been around a lot the past few days and boy, has she made a ruckus.” Havoc continued while escorting Ed to the Colonel’s office. 

Ed let out a growl before tearing away from Havoc and running back towards the corridor. He nearly ran into the soldier giving the lecture as he made a hasty turn into the hall. 

The soldier turned around with a scowl and looked Edward up and down. Ed ignored the soldier and fixed his eyes on the brunette in front of him. Ed noticed the strange look that flashed through her eyes. It held a mixture of recognition, confusion, vague interest in the young man who had interrupted her being scolded.

The soldier was taller than Edward, with rust colored hair. Immediately Edward recognized the soldier to be one of Envy’s personas he used to walk around undetected in the military. 

“Get lost, brat.” The faux soldier snapped. 

“Hey, Ed!” A familiar voice came sharply behind him. “Heard you’re looking for Roy!” Hughes appeared from seemingly nowhere. “Let me take you to him!” He grabbed the young man by the arm and pulled him away. “Sorry to interrupt you, miss Bradley.” Hughes apologized.  
The name threw Ed through a loop. Bradley? Like the Fuhrer? He also got the way her face twitched in irritation when she was referred by that name.

“What do you think you’re doing, Ed?” Hughes scolded as they left the two alone. “Keep your nose out of the Fuhrer’s family affairs, including his daughter.” Hughes instructed him. “I know it’s healthy for a boy your age to look at girls, but she is one you do not want to mess with.” 

“Daughter? Since when does the Fuhrer have a daughter?” Edward asked. 

“Have you not picked up a newspaper in weeks?” Hughes asked incredulously. “They announced a few weeks ago that she’d been adopted.”  
“Wait a minute! Adopted?” Edward needed answers. Things needed to make sense or he was sure he would lose his mind.

“They found her homeless on the streets during a trip out east. They’re throwing a big party Saturday to formally introduce her as Alison Bradley to all the big shots. Sounds more like a publicity thing to me, but I guess that’s politics.” Hughes shrugged. “Rumor has it her escort has his work cut out for him. Seems she may be a bit feral.” 

Before Ed knew it, he was standing in front of the door of Mustang’s office. 

“If you’re going to try your hand at dating, I’d recommend not going for the daughter of the Fuhrer.” Hughes slapped him playfully on the back before giving a half-hearted farewell salute. 

Edward closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He tried to piece things together as best he could. Was this an alternate reality? One where Ali hadn’t come with him, and was found by the homunculus first? If that was true, then she was practically a prisoner. He needed to get her alone and talk to her. 

With a new plan in place Edward banged on his superior’s door. He threw open the door before awaiting a response. 

Mustang looked vaguely surprised but more irritated. 

“And to what do I owe the pleasure, Fullmetal?” He said through a forced grin. 

“I need an invite to the Fuhrer’s party on Saturday.” Ed demanded.

Why did men wear suits? They were constricting. How could anyone fight in the damned garment without tearing it to shreds? 

“The point is to not present yourself as a feral beast.” Mustang piped up as he watched Edward fiddle with his sleeves and tie, seemingly reading the blonde’s mind. 

“Whatever, thanks for getting me in and all.” Ed waved his superior off.

“Fullmetal,” Mustang grabbed the younger man by the elbow. “I’m sure I don’t have to remind you to not cause any kind of scene, right?” He bared his teeth through his smile.

“Info gathering, and that’s it.” Edward snatched his elbow away. “I’ll be so well behaved, no one will even remember I was here.”

Roy let out a groan as he instantly regretted giving in to his subordinate’s request of an invite.  
He would have maybe felt more at ease if he knew the teen’s younger brother would be there to keep him in line. But for obvious reasons, the armoured teen stayed behind. 

Edward wandered into the crowd of people in the Fuhrer’s banquet hall. Hosting the event in his own home felt like a tactical move. His eyes scanned the crowd looking for Alison. His eyes fell on her, standing off to the side of the room. She wore a long blue dress with long lace covered sleeves. The dress, predictably, covered her back , but the neck scooped low enough to expose her collar bones. Her hair was curled and pinned up elegantly. Ed felt a lump form in his throat. She was gorgeous. And she had no idea who he was. 

He then took note of who she was with. A young man of similar age, in a formal black tie suit. He had sandy colored hair, neatly combed back, and olive green eyes. He was masculine and...tall. Edward scrunched his nose. Why did that guy look familiar?

The young man spoke to Alison with a smile, while she nodded and returned the smile. In the next moment, she looked away from her conversation partner and her eyes found Ed’s. She looked mildly startled for a moment. He was apparently the last person she expected to be there. Seemingly brushing it off immediately, Ali returned her attention to the teen in front of her. She put a gentle hand on his forearm and said something with a tilt of her head and a flash of brown doe-eyes. He nodded with a smile before excusing himself from her presence. 

Her eyes suddenly turned to Edward as she casually approached him. Edward’s mouth felt dry. Why did he feel so nervous? He’d seen this woman naked, seen her at her strongest and most vulnerable. No. They weren’t the same. This Ali wasn’t the same. She had gone through different obstacles and grown in another direction. 

“I’m starting to believe you’re running into me on purpose.” She said with her perfectly manicured brow lifted ever so curiously.

“And if I am?” The cocky words came out before he could stop them. Her laughter was a welcomed reaction. 

“I would say you’re pretty ballsy for pursuing the affections of the Fuhrer’s daughter.” She smirked. 

“Where’s your bodyguard?” Edward asked. 

“Brucey?” Edward raised an intrigued brow at the nickname. He somehow just knew she called him that because it pissed Envy off. “Father agreed that a bodyguard wouldn’t be needed in such an already heavily guarded event.” She answered. Edward felt almost instantly like that explanation was bullshit. But of course she wasn't going to tell him that there had been an agreement; if she behaved herself, they were let some slack in the chain.

“So how does one go from being unconscious in a forest to the daughter of the Fuhrer in such a short time?” Edward asked. Judging by the suddenly unamused and annoyed squint of her eyes, she didn’t approve of the question. 

“I’m sure you can ask my Father himself.” She said flatly. “Or my Mother. She enjoys telling the story of my Father’s charity.” 

Shit. He’d pissed her off. 

“Miss Alison,” Her earlier companion approached the two. The young man smiled politely at Edward and handed a glass of wine to Alison. 

“Thank you, Cameron .” She took the glass with a soft smile. She threw Edward one last sour look before accepting Cameron’s extended arm. 

Shit! He had to think of something!

“Have you ever played Frogger?” He blurted out. Frogger? Why was that the first thing he thought of?

It worked.  
She nearly stumbled, it surprised her so much. She stared at him with wide eyes and a look that was honestly terrifying. Like she was trying to crack open his thoughts with her stare alone. And as quickly as it had caught her off guard, she had regained her composure. She suddenly gave him a peculiar look that he really hoped he was reading correctly.  
Then without a word she turned around and walked away. 

Edward stood back aways and watched, as inconspicuously as possible, while the young man known as Cameron bid Alison a regretful farewell, but his father was calling for him. The guy looked nervous and fumbled slightly as he awkwardly kissed the woman's hand. She smiled at him softly and in way that could almost be mistaken as affectionate, and Edward felt a flare of possessiveness rise up. 

As soon as Cameron had disappeared in the crowd, Alison's eye immediately fell on Edward like she'd never lost sight of him the entire time. A tingle ran down Ed's spine with the thought that she'd been watching him just as closely as he had been watching her.

She nodded her head to the side as a signal to follow before she casually made her way to an empty corridor.  
Edward slowly circled the room before dipping down the same corridor.  
He reached the end of the hallway where it split left and right. A door down the right creaked open. A dim light flickered inside. Edward looked around again before slipping in the room.  
He let his eyes adjust to the dark room. Her eyes would have been adjusted by now and was no doubt watching him.

"Your date for the night couldn't stay a bit longer?" Edward asked feigning amusement. Of course he wanted to know who the guy was and what business he had with her.

"Hm. I'd say Cameron Hakuro is prospectively more than just an arm to hang off for the evening." She replied dryly from the other side of the room. She turned the pin on the lamp, allowing the flame inside to grow barely brighter. 

"Hakuro? As in General Hakuro?" Edward’s jaw nearly dropped. He wasn't aware the man even had a son. "What do you mean by 'prospectively more'?" He questioned. 

"I don't really see why you have such an interest in my courtship." She answered flatly. 

"You can drop the flower talk anytime you want, darlin'." Ed smirked. She didn't speak like that. Words carefully chosen to hide her accent, or to make her sound like the nobility she was pretending to be.  
Even in the dim light Edward could see her face twitch.

"Fine. Who the fuck are you and what do you want?" She hissed.  
There it was. That fire she was breathing warmed his chest. That sounded like the Ali he knew when she was ready to take something on.

"It's a bit of a complicated story." Ed shrugged. "How much time ya got before you have to be seen and not heard again?"

"As long as I damn well please." She clenched her jaw.  
They both knew that was a lie. He told her so with a look.  
"Give me the abridged version." She finally sighed in irritation.

"Where do you want me to start? I know your last name is Rigby, you're from another world, you have alchemical markings on your back that I bet your adopted mother doesn't even know about." He rambled off. 

"You better explain how you know all of that before I have every guard in this room." She failed to hide the panic that began to sink in.

"That part is hard to explain." He started. "Just a few days ago everything was different. You were with us, you had been for over a year."

"Us?"

"My brother, Alphonse, and I. That day in Frondt you decided to travel with us." He explained. 

"Wait a minute-!" She interjected. The clock on the study wall chimed, signifying the arrival of the new hour. "God dammit." She muttered. "Meet me in the gardens out back in an hour." She ordered him before rushing to the door. "I have more questions." She said and slipped out of the study to join the party. 

"I could've ended up somewhere other than here." She murmured under her breath. "If only I hadn't run."

"It's not so simple." Edward touched her arm. "Has it been that terrible here?" 

"It's been...challenging." She said carefully. 

"Has it been hard fitting in?" Ed asked. The Ali he remembered had, for awhile, felt uncomfortable in this world. She felt, for obvious reasons, like she didn't fit in.

"Hm, not really." Ali shook her head with an aloof shrug. "No one really has the balls to be mean to the Fuhrer's legal daughter. I just don't speak much about my life before becoming Alison Bradley. I act like I belong there, so I get along well with the other students in my classes. I'm actually a very likable person."

That was true. He never recalled her having a hard time making friends or establishing her own connections to people.

"I try to stay as involved in my schooling as much as possible." She continued. "I stay after class in the library. I've joined the fencing team. I'm taking music lessons.. Every minute I can spend at school is one less minute I have to spend in this prison." She added. 

"Have they hurt you?" Ed asked gently. It would be a lie to say he hadn't already thought of the possibility that they would abuse her. It didn't stop them in his other self's memories, why would it stop them in this one?

Because she was undoubtly their prisoner. 

"Not exactly." Ali's face scrunched with a thoughtful frown. "It's difficult to explain. It's almost like… I'm constantly being watched. Even when I'm alone I still feel eyes on me." She shuddered and rubbed her arms. 

"Do you feel you're being watched now?" Ed asked.

"No," she shook her head. "If anyone really is watching me, sometimes I think I give them the slip. Sometimes late at night or certain times during school I feel like I'm actually alone." She seemed to think again for a moment.  
"They took my things. Stuff that came here with me. Bradley made a point to show me that it had all been destroyed. Deliberately walked me by a bin on fire in the courtyard behind the house. It had my clothes, my bag, all of my personal items from my home, burning to ash. That's when I became certain I was a prisoner here." 

A long silence followed. He had to find a way to free her. He then thought of a question he'd asked earlier but didn't get an answer to. He was certain he knew the answer now.

"What did you mean by 'prospectively more.'?" He asked. Ali surprised herself with the chuckle that escaped her lips.

"It's pretty clear where my future leads as the Fuhrer's daughter. Mother...she's very kind. And I suppose I should be thankful that she has been as upfront about my role as she has been." Ali said. "Cameron ist at least kind and respectful to me. He's intelligent and handsome."

"Yeah, I get it." Ed regretted asking. 

"Cameron also doesn't have a preference for women." Edward nearly choked at her addition. "So aside from probably having to bare a child or two, I won't have to worry about him doing things to me that I don't want. And he can see whoever he wants and leave me alone to do whatever I want."

He already knew the reality of it. It was just chilling to hear her say it out loud.

"Well, Edward," Alison sighed. "It has been a very interesting evening. I've especially had a lot of fun playing 'what-if' while questioning reality itself." She said far too casually. 

"Ali," The nickname slipped past his lips without a second thought, as he reached out to grab her wrist. It seemed to catch her off guard. "I'm going to get you out of here." He swore, catching her gaze. She winced at his promise. 

"Edward, do yourself a favor." She smiled solemnly. "Don't waste your time." She twisted her wrist gently, not completely wanting to sever the touch. Edward snatched her hand before she could. Her fingers twitched around his and she stared at the union. She pursed her lips together before completely taking her hand back. 

"Look me up in a few years as Mrs. Hakuro. I'm sure either my husband or I would be interested in your company." She attempted a playful smile. "See ya, Ed." 

Edward climbed into the waiting vehicle of Riza Hawkeye. Mustang had better have a good reason for telling him to meet under such suspicious conditions.  
Edward was somewhat shocked to find Hawkeye as the only occupant 

“Fullmetal,” Hawkeye started when all doors were closed and windows up. “I don’t fully understand your sudden interest in the Fuhrer’s daughter, but I believe I’m beginning to understand your distrust in Bradley’s reasons for doing so.” 

“What would make you say that?” Ed frowned. What had happened? 

“Bradley’s wife has made a sudden trip to the East. Her sister had apparently been injured in a horseback riding incident.” Hawkeye told him. “My own intel tells me that the Fuhrer has told his entire staff to take the night off, guards and all. Apparently it’s something he’s done before when Mrs. Bradley left town, but never when Salim was left in Central. Salim didn't go with his mother." 

Edward didn't respond at first, allowing the information to make certain connections.

"You aren't going to stop me?" He finally asked.

"I wouldn't be telling you this if I was. Something doesn't seem right." She admitted. "In all good conscience, I don't think I can just stand by when that young woman could be in trouble."

"Thanks, Lieutenant." Ed nodded before reaching for the door. "And Mustang?" He paused.

"I'm afraid, at this time, this is all the assistance we can give you." She replied.

Alison's eyes fluttered open. Something didn't feel right, and it had awoken her. She rolled over to find her Major escort hover over her bed. 

"What are you-" she was cut short as she was snatched by the arm and dragged out of the bed. "Stop! Let go of me!" She screamed as she fought against the man. He dragged her from her room and down the corridor. "Mother! Father!" She called out.

"Cut the act, kid." He snapped at her. "She left for the East awhile ago." He smirked. "As for the Fuhrer...you'll see." 

The simple statements filled the young woman with dread. She screamed for help as loud as her vocal chords would allow. 

"Please! Keep screaming! No one who cares is around to hear you!" He howled with laughter. 

Their journey continued down a flight a stairs. When the young brunette fought harder against the descent, she was hurled forward with unbelievable strength and ease until she was tumbling down the steps. 

Bruce threw his head back in laughter as she hit the base of the staircase. His favorite part was how much it looked like it hurt to move.  
He met her at the bottom and picked her up like a rag doll and carried her through the den, down another hall, until they reached a study in the west wing of the manor. Alison had never been in that room before. It was under tight lock and key but Bruce opened it with ease.  
In the room stood a handful of people, the only one she recognized was her adoptive father. He looked unphased by the way she had been handled. 

"Why are you doing this?" She yelled at the man that insisted she call him Father. "I've done what you asked! I've behaved!" Tears streaked down her cheeks.

"This isn't about any of that, girl." The Fuhrer's voice sounded frigid. "It's time you learn your role." 

Alison's head snapped towards a dark corner of the room where a figure began moving. Into the dim light of the room an old man stepped forward. He wore white robes with long blonde hair.  
The young woman was hoisted up and forced to face the man.  
The man snatched her face by the chin and his touch burned her like battery acid. 

The brothers heard a chilling scream as soon as they cleared the back gate.  
Edward motioned for his brother to hurry as they slunk through the shadows toward the scream.  
It was thundering above them. The booms did well to hide any sound coming from Al's movements. The storm was closing in, fast.  
The brothers spotted a window barely lit in the darkness. They approached the window and peered in.  
"That's their leader!" Ed whispered to his brother and gestured to the man standing in front of the brunette young woman.  
Alchemical energy sparked in the old man's fingers against her face. She let out a cry in pain and pleaded for him to stop. 

Edward visibly tensed beside his brother. 

"Ed, the other homunculi are here too." Alphonse pointed out. They weren't going to be able to take them all on. Ed knew that, right?  
A crack of lightning shook the sky above them.  
A large flash of energy sparked, from the girl this time, and the old man snatched his hand away like he'd been burned this time. 

"Alphonse," a melodic voice spoke the armored boy's name. Suddenly he could envision a beautiful young woman with golden skin, silver hair, and silver eyes. "Alphonse, my name is Asta. To keep things relatively simple, my soul is anchored to this girl's body, and I am speaking to you through the Gate of Truth."  
Lightning struck so close the ground shook.  
"Your brother isn't able to react rationally. This is going to end tonight, and it will not end happily. You must take your brother and leave."

"Smells like smoke." Edward said suddenly. The two looked up to see the light of dancing flames from the roof. 

Alphonse watched smoke begin to billow from the roof. A larger spark of alchemical power lit up the room. He thought very carefully about his next move.  
Edward's body went limp after Alphonse's hit to the back of the neck. He scooped his brother in his arms and ran as fast as he could.

When Edward regained consciousness, he was far from the manor and could clearly see the center of the house was engulfed in flames.

"Al! What are you doing?!" Edward yelled at his brother who was still running. 

"She told me to get you away from there!" He yelled back.  
Alphonse stopped running when the ground shook beneath him. He barely managed to steady himself before a gail of wind burst from the manor. Even from so far away the power felt so raw and uncapped. A sudden blinding light.

……………

Edward shot up in his bed. He was damp with sweat. He looked frantically around the room. His brother was nowhere to be seen, so he dashed out of the room.  
In the common room, on the sofa, was the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. Alison in baggy sweatpants, and over sized shirt, unkempt hair. She was laid back, one leg flung over the back of the sofa, with a book in her hand.  
She jumped when the door flew open and dropped the book on her face.  
"Ow! Dude, what're you doing?" She nearly shouted. She didn't have time to ask anymore questions before Edward practically dove into her arms.  
This was startling.  
"You okay?" She asked softly while petting his hair. She couldn't be mad at him when he was so clearly distressed. 

"I am now." He sighed.


End file.
